SHILLONG, April 18: The state government has decided to continue with the regular offline classes in schools despite some students testing positive for COVID-19.
“There is no question of calling off the regular classes. Micro-management will be done at the school level. The situation is different from one place to another. So, we cannot take one decision which fits all,” Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said on Sunday.
He said the government has neither insisted nor made it mandatory for the students to attend the classes in schools. He said it was left to the wisdom of school authorities to scatter the conduct of regular classes.
Rymbui also stated that the parents, who are not comfortable with sending their wards to school, can opt for online classes or whatever system the schools are providing.
Some schools in the city were closed down after some students tested positive for the virus.
Earlier, the heads of various educational institutions unanimously expressed the view that the regular classes should continue although there was division of opinions relating to classes from Nursery to 5.
Meanwhile, altogether 65,787 students will appear in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exams beginning Monday in 147 centres across the state.
MBoSE Joint Director, M Marbaniang said the centres are ready for conducting the exams.
According to him, the same protocols of HSSLC examinations will be followed for the SSLC.
He said there is nothing to worry as the officers-in-charge of various exam centres have been briefed on the steps to be taken in the event of an emergency-like situation.
“We are hoping that everything will go on smoothly as scheduled,” he said.
Earlier, the MBoSE assured that if any student is directly or indirectly affected by the pandemic and fails to appear in the exams, s/he will be allowed to reappear for the same, albeit after meeting certain government conditions.
In a letter to the Deputy Commissioners, MBoSE Executive Chairman, MHK Marak had said if any examinee is infected with the virus, s/he may be barred from appearing in the exams and later, allowed to reappear following production of an RT-PCR report suggesting COVID negative as a proof.
“Candidates from containment zones have been restricted from appearing in the exams and they would need to submit documents from appropriate authorities,” he had stated.